Next Generation
by Knives'Ghostwriter
Summary: Krory had been wandering for so long now, his friends long since gone, the Order dispersed. There was no longer a need for Exorcists… He was alone, or so he thought. Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own D gray man blahblahblah… Just barrowing a few people. LOL

Next Generation

**Warning:** This is not an AU (With possible exceptions of the paring that will be hinted at LOL after all the series isn't done yet) it is an extension of the series. This is what 'will' take place if the Exorcists, Noah and Earl survive until modern day.

-Giggle- I feel kinda sorry for the next generation.

For this story I sensed that after the war is over the Exorcist would disperse and eventually without there being any need for them they would be forgotten… I also have a sinking feeling about a certain Exorcist, LOL, anyway! I won't ruin it.

**Summary:** Krory had been wandering for so long now, his friends long since gone, the Order dispersed. There was no longer a need for Exorcists… He was alone, or so he thought.

The platform bustled and hummed with life as the black clad figure stayed silently in the background, enjoying the little thrill he got at the memory of his first train ride. Even if it had been over a hundred years ago.

Arystar Krory the 3rd, long since changed to Alystar Crowley in this 'new word', said goodbye to the eastern coast to move to inland America. Now that it had been mapped and properly populated, he felt it safe to explore without fearing prosecution for being 'different'.

When the train pulled in, the brakes let out a hiss of air. He could remember when that hiss would be followed by bellowing smoke and the smell of burning wood or coal. A small boy was spotted tugging excitedly at his mother's arm, Alystar smiled. The boy spotted him and the smile widened. A flash of sharpened teeth caused the boy to visibly gasp and tug harder at the mother's arm as he pointed at the man that had wisely moved out of sight. So many years and he still sometimes forgot…

The platform was emptying, the train boarding, and the gentleman waited his turn as he allowed a young woman ahead of him. He reached out to grab the rail as he stepped only the train, when a familiar sensation occurred. His teeth began to itch. The Innocence started to pulse against his gums as he felt the craving start. Akuma; it had been so long since he had come across one. A feral smile touched his lips as he stepped back down off the train.

The train departed as Alystar faced the passing windows knowing the look he wore must have scared most of the passengers. The humans were safe, out of harm's way, with all that was left on the platform was the 'vampire' Exorcist. "You can come out now, I know you're there," menacing fangs showed through a predator's smile as he turned to face an old man.

"Still alive are you? And they call us monsters…"

"Hmm, prey," it had been so long; Alystar couldn't help but lose control to the Innocence within him. He growled as clawed hands struck out at the aged man. Clothes tore as the man seemed to stand up, his body shifting and growing until a reptilian-like demon, Akuma, was at the other end of Alystar's claws.

In his hunger fueled attempt, he hadn't realized the extent of the reptile characteristics until a tail swung out and knocked him across the platform and off onto the tracks. He grunted as he got off the tracks, starting when he saw the Akuma raise its arms. Turrets could be seen circling each wrist. A moment of thought was all he had before the Innocence took back over. It would have its prey! He rushed head first at the Akuma, fangs bared.

Bullets rained at him, he leapt at the Akuma. He spun in mid jump, his thick coat deflecting the worst of the non-lethal rounds. A few made their way through and he just smiled as he collided with the other. There was a startled sound when he sank his fangs into the Akuma's shoulder; he ignored it as he drank his fill from the quickly dying 'demon'.

Alystar was interrupted by a sudden blackness wrapping around him and pulling him away from his meal. "No! Let me go! That's the first I've tasted in twenty years," he struggled and whined as the effects of his bite caused the Akuma to crumble away, leaving the still starving 'vampire's eyes to water.

"Go ahead and put him down," Alystar was promptly dropped onto his but to pout at the pile of dust particles that was his meal.

"What the hell are you?" His head was snapped back by his hair as a sharp implement was held to his throat.

"Hungry," he sniffled, uncaring at the moment if the boy holding his hair did cut him or not.

"Let him up, it's okay," the blade (or whatever it was he felt at his throat) was removed when a slightly older boy came into his view. "What are you?"

"I've been called vampire… but I'm an Exorcist. Honest," he gave a cockeyed grin, showing fang tips.

"You don't look like no priest," the voice from before, but the owner remained out of sight.

"Exorcist, not priest, there's a difference."

"Well, whatever type of 'holy man' you are… Can you tell me what I am?" The one in front of him lifted his head to focus on him. White caught Alystar's attention as two new limbs sprouted from the boy's back. The limbs where covered in white bands of flesh, the last time he had seen something like that had been Allen's arm…

"Parasite type," his eyes widened as he saw two bands of white within the boy's hair that wasn't there before, they twitched at him before resting on either side of the boy's temples. Much like, "Antenna?"

The boy shifted uncomfortably before nodding, "So, what am I?" The wings shuffled a bit.

"You're an Exorcist too," that startled the boy, but not as much as the huge grin on Alystar's face. "I'm not alone anymore. There are more out there again! Wait, that means…" The Earl's back. The war is going to start again soon. Alystar groaned, he'd missed his train! And the worst thing was, he couldn't leave this poor kid to worry.

He went back to pouting as he got to his feet. He was hungry, homeless and currently confused as to what to do about the parasite type in front of him. He gave a sigh; at least he could solve one if not two of the three. "So, you like pizza?"

The boy's brows rose, Alystar couldn't help but chuckle when the white antenna did the same, "Yeah…"


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I said it once, if ya didn't see it go back to the last chapter…XP

"You should deactivate your Innocence, yours is a little more noticeable than mine," he gave an all out grin, showing shark teeth.

"How did you get those?"

"A flower bit me," Alystar chuckled as he finally caught sight of the other boy, this one younger and holding what looked like a boomerang in his right hand. There was another, a young woman, older than the boys, crossing her arms. Gloved hands clenched as she searched him over, so that's who grabbed him. "Anyway, how 'bout that meal? I'm starving, my treat." He turned to leave the station, remembering a little pizzeria close by.

"Claud?" The older and younger looked to the middle, who just shrugged away his invocation to follow after the strange man.

Alystar sat down, his hesitant companions following suit, and ordered enough pies to feed half the city. The waitress kept asking how big the party would get, not quite accepting the, "We're just really hungry," line.

When the first round came out of the over, three pizzas were set on the table. "Only three ovens?" Alystar smiled, carefully as he saw Claud quickly grab up one of the metal trays, claiming it as his.

"Jeez, he eats more than you Claud," the younger of the boys blurted out as Alystar finished the last of his crust, eagerly waiting his next pie.

"Large bite radius, and parasite types always eat a lot…" He fell silent as the waitress set a few more down. Three bites in, halfway through the slice, he coughed and gagged a bit.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," he blinked watering eyes. Glancing back at the kitchen, he was getting watchful looks from the cook that had nothing to do with his health. "Seems they forgot to chop the cloves before they put them on the pizza…"

"Garlic?" The three started as Alystar got over biting into a half cooked bulb without expecting it.

"…" All he could do was shake his head and smile full out at the cook before going back to finishing his second pie before the third could get done.

"Parasite type?" Claud asked through half the pizza stuffed in his mouth.

"It means you don't have to have an item or a weapon with you to Invoke your Innocence. Ugh, use your power," he rephrased when they all stared at him confused. "Mine is a parasite type… to an extreme," he rolled his eyes. "My teeth are made of Innocence, like your wings are, and a lot of my power is in my blood. And, as you saw, I am able to drink Akuma/demon blood to strengthen my abilities."

Another pizza and he quickly scarfed down half of it before the startled miss could even get out of the way. God he was hungry, he half blamed the fact on his interrupted snack, the other half went to him having to slow down on the last pizza because of the excess garlic.

"You know, chewing usually is involved," the waitress giggled once she got over the inicial shock. Both Claud and Alystar looked up at her, Claud's slice half hanging out of his mouth and Alystar frowning over a few over cooked pieces of crust.

There was the sound of crunching when Alystar suddenly bit through the petrified pieces of crust, sending a few ends to clatter onto the metal tray. "Uh… We might need a few more…"

The two on the other end of the table shoved away the tray they were sharing, nearly half the pizza left on it. "Really?" Alystar asked even as Claud grabbed the biggest slice. "Hey, share!" There was only two smaller pieces left as he quickly devoured one before reaching for the other.

Claud batted his hand away, trying to sneak the slice away with his other hand. He failed when Alystar took a snap at the half airborne piece, startling the boy into dropping it back on the tray. "Shouldn't have done that," Alystar was startled by the young woman's voice. He looked up at the shy smile on her face as he grabbed the forgotten slice.

"What," he yipped as a sharp pain shot through his hand. "Ow, ow, ow! Let go you little," Claud had grabbed at the slice with his teeth and just so happened to have grabbed the two fingers closest to him as well.

"You started it…" The woman chuckled and sipped at her drink. "Spit it out Claud, you don't know where it's been."

Claud blinked before releasing Alystar's hand, hacking as if to get the taste out of his mouth. "Ack! Gunpowder!" He grabbed the nearest drink and downed it as the bitey gaped at him.

"You honestly just…" Alystar started laughing as Claud downed another glass. "What were you thinking?"

"That was my slice damnit!"

"That explains it," Alystar smiled and offered another drink to the boy. "Sorry about the gunpowder, the Akuma shot me a few times."

"Shot, what? I saw you , you deflected them"

"Not all of them. Two bullets and one graze," Alystar pushed his coat off his shoulder to show the hole left in his shirt close to the collar bone. "All my wounds heal when I drink from Akuma."

"How are you alive? I've seen people shot before, they all crumble into ash," the youngest boy spoke, his eyes were sorrowful.

"I am nearly immune to their poison. It takes massive injuries and constant feeding before I can even be effected by it." He fell silent, leaving out the fact that Akuma blood was the only reason he was still around, able to explain all this to this generation of Exorcists. "It is getting late, and I need to find a place for the night," he went to go settle the bill while the kids exchanged looks.

"Place?"

"Yeah, I was going to travel west for awhile. See where it took me, but the Akuma and now you. I can't leave you all alone. I just wish I hadn't waited until after I sold my house to leave."

Alystar was oblivious of the looks the boys were giving each other and the young woman. "Alright, but you know the rules…"

"Hey, Jaws! Why don't you stay with us for the night?"

"Jaws?"

"Yeah, it ain't much, just a lumpy old couch, but it's a roof and a safe place to rest. Wadda ya day? Just until you find a place," Claud looked hopeful. Alystar knew he had to have had the same look when Allen and Lavi had asked him to join them. The boy had found someone like him; he didn't want to lose him without at least understanding why he was the way he was.

"Alright," Alystar smiled as they left the restaurant, the woman was leading and he gladly followed as the boys prattled on about something. "Wait… What are the 'rules'?"

"The rules of bringing home stray," was all the woman said as Alystar stumbled to keep up when they collided with a crowd of people.

"S-s-strays?" He stammered when the crowd parted.

"Yeah, you know, no peeing on the rug."

"No chewing the furniture." The boys looked at him at the same time said, "Chew bone…"

"Bone? What? HEY!"

"And finally." The woman turned, causing Alystar to stumble to a stop before colliding with her. "It's your responsibility to feed it… Claud, Erin, your allowances have been halved for the food supply."

"Hey, that's no fair!" The youngest, Erin fumed, "He's Claud's stray not mine!"

"Halved! Come on! I'll starve if you do that!"

"You'll just have to go without snacking every hour…"

"But Taaaaaaac," they both whined, reminding of someone whining to their mother.

"Tac?"

"That's me. Welcome," she held out a gloved hand.

"Thank you," he took it. "Alystar."

"All right Alystar, let me say this," he was suddenly off balanced as she drug him down to her level. "Put these kids in danger, or get them hurt and I will personally pull out every one of those fangs of your…" She released him, he over compensated the sudden balance shift and ended up on his but staring up at a slightly decrepit building. "What are you waiting for? You were invited, come on in."

"Home sweet home," the boys laughed and followed after.

Author's corner:

Yay! BIO time! If you can't tell so far most everyone's OC's and if you can't… go back and read the books again! LOL

Anyway. Here they are

Claud:

Around 16yrs old. "Big brother" type, though he can be just as whiny as the next kid. He shows an aura of strength but is very self conscious about his difference. He is the only Parasite type in this little troupe. His main anti-Akuma weapon is his wings, they appear to be 'bound' bird wings when he activates them on his own but when Akuma are near they appear to be thin, almost translucent, moth wings. They emit a fine powder that can be used as an area attack that eats away at Akuma as the main attack the other forms of attack are currently unknown.

Erin:

Around 14. "Little brother" is the exact term for him, though he tends to have a mouth worthy of an adult most of the time… He's an equipt type that uses a black boomerang as his weapon.

Tac:

Aka Tacy is around 19. She is the "Mother/big sister" to these two runaways. She tends to be the silent protector/helper but can still be fun. She's an equipt type that uses a set of black gloves as he weapon.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm turning in early, need something the boys'll help ya," Tac shrugged off her jacket and tossed it on what looked like a kitchen island, or maybe it was a table. Too make shift to decide.

"It's a rat hole."

"And it leaks when it rains but its home."

One of said rats decided to scurry across the floor. Alystar gave an annoyed look before giving a hiss at it, it ran off. He hoped for good; no rat bite fever for him.

"I sense a solution to our rat problem…" Tac grabbed a water glass before heading toward the door on the right side of the apartment.

"I don't go chasing rats for fun… Neither do I eat them," he called after her before the door shut.

"She meant me getting hungry enough to cook the damn things…" Claud rolled his eyes. "Tac's got the full bath. There's another toilet next to out room and faucets all work but… I'd only drink from Tac's, the other two have a corrosion problem. Rust, bleck."

"And Tac's door's locked, so if you need something, like she said, we're your best bet."

"I'm hittin' the bed early too. I'm tired," Erin rubbed his shoulders before heading to the opposite side of the room.

"Night," Claud called before walking over to flop down into an overstuffed, and beaten up, old chair. Alystar took a seat on the old couch sitting close by. "Do you ever have trouble sleeping?"

"Yes, though I'm fairly certain my reasons are different from yours. You'll have to be more specific," Alystar laced his fingers and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Does it ever feel… like your skin's crawling? Like there's something moving under it?"

Alystar gave a sigh. He could feel his teeth itching, the gums seemed to pulse as his blood hummed, threatening to activate. "Not my skin, but yeah…"

"Is that because I'm one of those parasite types?"

"Yeah. It gets easier to anticipate when it'll happen, and most learn to ignore it. Or they've had it so long they forget the sensation's there. But, in truth, it never goes away…"

"You speak from experience?"

"I have been like this for over a hundred years, if that counts," Alystar smiled awkwardly at the gaping boy. "And I still can't get over the feeling I get after I feed off an Akuma."

"I can't sleep after," he rested a hand on his shoulder, as if unable to think of the words.

"Activating your Innocence. Innocence is what you wings are made of."

"You've said Innocence before… What is that?"

"I guess you could say, it's a gift from God. A power given to humans to help fight Akuma/demons with." Alystar chuckled, "I guess that was perfect wording considering your Invocation reminds of a white angel…"

"Angel, bah! It gets worse than just the wings… I, I've gone up against one of those demon monsters, Akuma? It gets worse… It looked human, but they knew, they knew it wasn't," Claud's hands rested on his head where his antenna had been.

"The first sight of an Akuma is always frightening."

"I killed it… It attacked me and I couldn't stop it from attacking back," his arms crossed over his chest as he held his shoulders.

Claud flinched when Alystar laid a hand on his arm. "It's alright, I understand."

"How could anyone understand," the boy curled away.

"When I first became an accommodator for my Innocence, I was afraid of myself. I began attacking the people of my village, killing them by drinking their blood. I would awaken out of these bloodlust fuelled spells to see the corpse of someone I had drained. I condemned myself for being a monster, a vampire, and locked myself in my castle.

"The villagers wanted me dead, tried many times to kill me, but they would all become afraid and run away. It wasn't until two boys, about your age, Exorcists came through that we discovered that I too was an Exorcist. It wasn't humans I was killing, but Akuma. They just appeared to be villagers when I attacked them."

"Did the villagers forgive you for it then?"

Alystar's lip twitched, trying to smile and failing, "No, I was and always would be a monster to them. Their view on me and my family had already been set in stone long before I became an Exorcist."

"Suddenly my life doesn't seem so bad," Claud gave a forced smile.

"How bad does it get? Is it just fear of yourself, your power, or do you lose control when you fight?"

"It protects me… It attacks… But I don't know how to make it do what I want. It's like it has a mind of its own and I'm just drug along for the ride."

"We'll have to work on that. A little practice and you'll be in full control, no worries," Alystar gave him the biggest smile he could muster, forgetting that it would give most people nightmares.

"Heh, Jaws, I'm calling it a night. Random thought, you don't drink from humans at all, do you?"

Alystar chuckled, "Extreme insinuating circumstance if I do. But I don't with only the one exception, so no worries. I won't try to eat any of you in your sleep." He laid back to get comfortable on the old couch, crossing his arms behind his head, "Goodnight, pleasant dreams."

"Thanks," he heard a door shut and closed his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Alystar's eyes tightened when a noise was heard. Wait, noise? The unnaturally heavy sleeper bolted upright, expecting the building to have caved in on top of him.

"Did I wake you?" He looked back toward the kitchen to see Tac sitting on the table's edge, sipping at a mug.

Adrenaline and fear induced rush over, Alystar swayed and slammed his chin on the back of the couch, trying to keep her in view, "Not another morning person…"

"I take it you're not," she smiled and walked over to hand him the second mug he hadn't seen net to her.

"Thank you," he took the mug, noticing for the first time her gloves were off. A scarred, callused hand brushed his as she turned away. He saw her gloves were clipped to her belt almost like gun holsters.

"I heard you talking with Claud last night… Thanks. He really needed someone that understood what he was going through." Alystar smirked, his eyes started watering as he tried to suppress a yawn, he knew he tended to scare people when he first woke up, even if he didn't mean to. To his surprise, Tac laughed when his attempt started to fail, "Go ahead, I've seen bigger teeth on the sharks I've had to unload."

"Huh?" That did it, his jaw gave a pop as he yawned, threatening to dislocate.

Tac just shook her head and laughed. "I gotta get to work; play nice with the other kids, no chewing on the furniture," he frowned, truly debating whether or not to take a chunk out of the couch, "And don't get into a biting match with Claud… He'll win. Later," the gloves had reappeared back on her hands as she left.

Alystar shook his head and set the cup on the floor beside the couch, deciding to get some more sleep before the boys woke up. The calm nap didn't last long, "Morning Jaws!" He was suddenly pounced on by an overly enthusiastic Erin.

"Boy," he growled and shoved the offending child off of him and onto the floor as he curled up. Trying to sooth his wounded ribs. "Do you have a death wish?!" His voice was a little breathy as his ribs protested their expansion.

"Woops, did I get you?"

"Both your feet firmly planted in my chest and that's all you ask?"

The slam of a door meeting the wall caused them both to jump. "Eep, morning Claud," Erin backed away as the boy stumbled across the room, toward the kitchen.

"Claud?" Alystar rubbed his eyes and sat up, confused at the sleepwalking boy.

"Hmm?" The boy opened the refrigerator, there was a growl and a sigh. "I'm getting food… be back."

"No you don't!" Erin dove in front of Claud before he could make it to the door. "You go wake up, I'll get the food."

"You're out of money, I'll get it."

"Don't think so," Erin grabbed Claud's wallet before bolting out the door, leaving the other no chance to argue.

Claud grumbled before going to flop down in the comfy chair, half curling up to try to sleep. "And I thought I wasn't a morning person."

Claud's head shot up, wide awake, blinking confused at the man on the couch before realizing, "Oh, Alystar… I forgot."

"Stomach woke you up?" The boy nodded and Alystar laughed, "Yeah, I've had those mornings."

"I'm back!" The front door burst open as Erin came in with his arms full of paper and plastic bags. "You owe me Claud."

"Stale bread again?"

"No, stale bread sandwiches, again…" Erin grumbled and set the paper bags on the table.

"Huh?" Alystar was confused.

"We're friends with a deli owner. They bake their own bread. They let us have the day old as long as we buy something to go with it."

"Yeah, and the price of meat went up again." Erin tossed a loaf of French bread at Claud. "That should at least hold you until lunch…"

Claud snorted and went to make a sandwich, Alystar shook his head. A flash of black distracted him away from the talking boys, something was moving outside the window. "What?" The boys' voices silenced as he got up to look outside, the black dove out of sight. "Does Tac have a window?"

"Yeah."

Alystar rushed through into the young woman's room, throwing open the window and snagging the fluttering black thing before it could disappear from sight. "Gotcha!"

"Alystar?" Claud came searching as Alystar grinned down at the captured thing. "What's up?"

"What's that?"

"Communication golem," at the word 'golem', the black creature stopped fighting for freedom.

"_**Pre-recorded message."**_ There was a twittering noise and then. "This is central command. If you are hearing this you are already aware of the nature of the creature you see before you. This is an all call to return to the Order. If you are unaware of its location follow this golem as it returns to base. Good luck, I hope to see you all soon." Alystar frowned at the young voice of the recording, it reminded him of someone.

"What the hell was that?!"

Alystar let the little creature go to flit about the room before returning to him. "I thought you had been destroyed," he nudged the little creature now perched on his shoulder. He gave a sigh, "It's time for me to go home…"

"Home? What is with that damn, get away from me you pest," Erin batted at the golem now flitting around him.

"This is an all call to return to the Order," the line repeated.

"I know, but I won't force them to come with me."

"'return to the Order," Alystar became annoyed with the persistent golem and flicked it across the room when it flew over as if to glare at him.

"Unless you have a live feed kindly keep quiet!" Alystar was rather proud of himself when the golem stopped repeating itself and in fact stayed a good yard away from him. "How long do we have until Tac gets back?"

"Three or four hours, depends on what's unloaded today, why?"

"I've been called home, and I'm hoping all of you would come with me. Any questions you might have will be answered there."

---

Alystar threw open the door of the storage locker, he kept one in every city he'd been through over the years, and smiled at the pieces he had decided to keep. His hand skimmed over an old 'fainting' couch as he passed. He knew what he was looking for had to be here somewhere. His vision rested on an old trunk and he smiled. "There you are," there was a rattle as various bobbles and knickknacks clattered to the floor when he pulled the trunk free. "I just hope you're in one piece…"

Alystar smiled to himself, his fingers fumbling with the long absent weights wrapped around each wrist. He reached up to knock on the door when he heard voices behind it.

"You can't just run off with some guy we just met!" Erin was fuming, Tac must've gotten home.

"Keep your voice down, he said he'd only be out for awhile…" Claud. Alystar frowned.

"It's you own decision," Tac.

"What? You're just gonna let him run off with a total stranger?!" Erin again.

"Why not? You both did," Alystar's frown deepened at Tac's words.

The silence set heavy, almost crushingly so, and Alystar chose then to knock on the door before opening it. "Sorry it took so long, I couldn't remember which one was mine."

"Woe… What's with the wardrobe change?"

"This is my old uniform from the Order. Don't know what good it will do…" Alystar smiled brightly, looking every bit the same as when he had first gotten the coat made. "So, are you coming with me or am I traveling alone?"

Silence fell over the room, the only sound being the golem wing beats as it fluttered back and forward. The boys looked at Tac, "I'm not your mother, it's your choice."

"I'm going," Claud said immediately.

Erin gaped at Tac before looking back at Claud, then Tac again. "Uh, but!" The boy frowned, then crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "A friend never lets a friend do something stupid… alone. I'm going too."

Alystar didn't know whether to smile or frown at that when Tac chimed in. "Well, I can't have two minors running off with a potential pedophile…"

"I beg your pardon!?!" Alystar's jaw threatened to touch and his eyes could shame serving trays.

"Don't take it personally, Jaws, she said the same thing when we started running with her."

"How old are you anyway?" Alystar thought to ask the startled woman.

"I thought it was impolite to ask a lady her age."

"Normally, this doesn't count."

"Nineteen, and before you ask, I'm their legal guardian. So, like it or not, You're stuck with me tagging along."


	5. Chapter 5

"Ugh…" Erin swayed, looking more than a little green around the gills before he bolted back into the bathroom.

"Should've taken a plane…" Tac mentioned, for the billionth time since the boat had shoved off over four hours ago.

"I don't like planes, the World War wasn't to kind on my view of them." Then again, having to 'jump ship' halfway across the ocean due to engine failure hadn't helped.

"World War? Really? Cool!" Claud was trying to distract away from the trip to the Order, "What was that like?" By any means necessary it would seem.

"Damn cold," Alystar said, barely remembering to keep his language in English. "Ended up captured by a German U-boat… They thought me 'Nachtzehrer' and feared England had somehow discovered a new weapon. Bastards didn't understand that I needed real food to survive. Nearly starved to death…"

There was the sound of flushing and running water before Erin came back into the room. "Feel better?"

"Ugh… Stomach's empty… Still feel sick."

"Good, here, eat a cracker and take some of these," Alystar tossed a bottle at the boy, who fumbled to catch it.

"What?"

"Ginger pills."

"What are they going to do?"

"Make it better."

"Really?" Erin read over the bottle.

"They work for me," Alystar smiled and leaned back in his chair, more than content to nap through the long trip. "Waked me when it's dinner time." He heard a familiar sound before a door slammed. Poor kid…

---

"Alystar, wake up," Tac nudged the sleeping man, nudged him harder, before losing patience and gave him a shove that toppled the chair.

"What?!" A feral snarl was seen before he realized who had woken him, it instantly vanished, "Oh… Sorry Tac. Lost in the past again. Dinner time?"

"Yeah… And thanks for helping Erin, he's actually eating."

"No problem." Alystar smiled and followed after Tac.

"Lord Exorcist, not the main floor." An elderly worked grabbed Alystar's wrist when they turned a corner. "The Captain understands your cause but the crew is another story. Too young to know of your Order and may become bothersome with questions."

"I understand your worry but I am use to people being too afraid of me to actually approach me."

"You fit right in with this generation. I wouldn't be too surprised if that… young lady from suit 13 curled up in your lap and asked you to bit her."

Alystar started. Tac laughed at the vision of some black make-up-ed Goth girl swooning in the 'vampire's arms as he made the same face he wore now. "I'll get the camera."

"I don't bite… humans," Alystar pouted the rest of the way to their 'private' dining room.

"Don't worry Jaws, I believe you," Tac gave a half smile as they turned another corner, to find Alystar wasn't paying attention. "Alystar, Earth to Alystar."

"Hmm?" He turned back toward the woman now waving a perpetually gloved hand at him. "Sorry, I thought I saw someone. A little girl. Maybe someone got lost and followed us thinking we were going to dinner."

"I'll check the halls on my way back through," the worker smiled and held open the door for them.

"Thank you. If we need anything or we see her again, we'll call." Alystar gave a close lipped smile. God his teeth itched and he didn't want to give the kind man any worry if they had lengthened because of it.

"Something wrong?" Erin was starting to worry, both Claud and Alystar had barely touched their plates.

"I don't know…" They both said.

"Skin crawling?" Alystar didn't even look up.

"Yeah, you?" Claud picked at a piece on his plate.

"My teeth itch… Damn, I thought one would have a pleasant trip!"

"What's it mean?" Claud asked as Alystar slammed his fork onto his plate.

"There's an Akuma either on the ship or about to be…"

"You should be ecstatic, you got pissed when we pulled you off the last one."

"Akuma, on a ship full of people. Yeah, I'm just thrilled," the look on Alystar's face made them worry as his bangs seemed to sweep out of his face of their own accord. "Maybe I can find it before it shows itself…"

"Alystar, where the hell are you going?!" Tac called once he was at the door.

"Out for a bite," he smiled, showing more teeth than he ever had and, and put the nickname 'Jaws' to shame before he closed the door behind him.

"Claud, you okay?" Tac asked as they heard Alystar's swift footsteps fade away.

"No…" Claud held his shoulders. He felt the crawling again, this time it seemed to follow his spine until it curled around his neck and slithered across his skull.

"Claud," Tac didn't like the look on his face, he was scared.

"Something isn't right," he couldn't stop it, he felt the wings spread out behind him.

"Claud? Wait, Claud!" Tac followed after the boy as he rushed after Alystar's fading steps. Something wasn't right, Claud's wings weren't the thick banded ones he usually showed. They were the thin almost translucent ones she had seen when she had first seen them. The ones he wore when he had killed that monster when he was younger.

Nachtzehrer= is one of the many forms and names of the German Vampires


	6. Chapter 6

Alystar stood on the deck of the cruise liner, silently mourning all those people that had moments ago had been laughing and talking happily with one another. The Akuma had shown itself before he could make it to the deck. The last few feet he had heard gunfire and screams. The Akuma itself had been a newly evolved level 2 and had fallen quickly to his fangs but all those people…

"Alystar," he heard a soft voice call and he cringed. Most of the dead had crumbled away from the Akuma's bullets but some were killed by its own hands. The evidence was all over the ship.

"Claud, just, don't," Alystar stepped in the boy's path before he got up the stairs. "It's alright now… Go back down below."

"Buh," Alystar laid a hand on his shoulder, giving him a cocked grin and hoping it hid sorrowful eyes.

"Please, go down below, you're not ready for this yet."

Tac appeared behind the boy and Alystar gave her a pleading look, "Claud, come on… You're worrying us."

"Thank you," Alystar sighed as Claud finally retreated down the stairs.

"Need help?" He shook his head, "You okay?"

Alystar gave a sneer of a smirk and shook his head. "You never get use to the casualties…"

"No, you don't…" Tac took him for his word and followed after Claud without seeing the extent of the damage.

Alystar frowned at the still forms around him. The bodies had to go. It was at least a week's journey to get across the great gap between continents and there was no way they would make it with rotting corpses on the deck. They could turn back but he didn't know how many may have survived, let alone how to about a ship on his own. He did know how to steer for the east and pray for land…

---

"Where is he?" Erin grumbled. Tac had put her foot down and wouldn't let them out of their room.

"I don't know…" Tac had been staring out the window of the room for more than an hour. She would flinch on occasion and shut her eyes as a shadow passed over it.

"Tac, what aren't you telling us?"

There was a scratching on the door and they all jumped. "Alystar?" Erin was the one that opened the door only to blink as a black blur flew past his head straight to Tac.

"Huh?"

The little black golem fluttered about in front of her before Alystar's voice sounded from it. "Tac, can you come up to the control room for a bit? This is a recording so don't bother answering. Alone. Just follow the golem it will lead you to me. And you boys stay put. It's started raining and I don't want either of you falling overboard."

Erin gave a snort and crossed his arms while Claud looked up sadly at the golem. Tac followed after golem which was now flitting outside the door.

"How bad is it?" Tac asked as she went to see Alystar. He was leaning over a map, studying it.

"Be glad this is all modernized… Even fifty years ago we would be stuck calling as SOS to the nearest boat."

"SOS? Wait, why don't I hear the radio?"

"I had to shut the damn thing off… I couldn't think. Tac… I couldn't find anyone on board…"

We should re-search the ship," she muttered and walked over to the massive compass that slightly swung with the ocean currents. "In case… People move, they hide… they run when afraid."

"All I've found are you and those boys…"

"We have to… Alystar, this boat is too bit to control alone. It would take."

"Nearly a hundred people to man… I've thrown more than thirty uniformed corpses over the side! I saw more fall beneath the Akuma's bullets." Alystar's fist connected with the table the chart rested on, to leave a dent, "We only have two choices, continue on or turn back…" He would need her and the boys' help regardless of the answer so he might as well give her the options.

"We've chosen out path… We're not going to turn back because of a bump in the road," the young woman surprised him by turning back to smile at him. "Show me the basics to smile at him. "Show me the basics and then go get cleaned up… You look and smell like a slaughter house," she tapped a knuckle against his shoulder and spun around to look back at the controls to eye them thoughtfully.

"Basics, yeah… It's just steering, we'll worry about the throttle later. We're a little off; we want to head due east."

"Ohkay, South-East, so to the left," Alystar was too slow, Tac turned the stern nearly three rugs and the boat pitched left.

"Ugh!" They both tumbled until they hit the wall to the right of the control room. "Rule one, small corrections." Alystar coughed as her knee ended up a little too low for comfort.

"Gotcha," Tac groaned and untangled herself from the coughing man. "You okay?"

"Yeah, give me a minute. Go straighten the wheel. Slowly!"

"Okay…" Tac cringed when the compass read almost North. "Oh kay," Alystar smiled as the young woman careful and slowly righted the wheel until the compass showed East again.

"And it's Port for left and Starboard for right…"

"Port, Starboard? How the hell am I supposed to remember that?"

"Which words have more letters?"

Tac blinked at Alystar's smirk, "Neat trick… Anything else I should worry about?"

"That there," Alystar pointed to a monitor. "That's your radar. If something shows up on it you might want to avoid it. Just remember."

"Small corrections. Anything else?"

"If you have to, the throttle, there," he pointed to the lever nearby. "Straight up is stop toward you is reverse. Don't stop unless you have to… I don't know enough about these things to calculate how much fuel we have if we stop to drift."

"Okay, I think I've got it… Go on and get cleaned up." Alystar looked like he was about to protest, "I've got this, we'll be fine for an hour. I may be new but I've got the whole empty ocean in front of us. Don't worry 'Dad,' I'm not going to run into the mailbox trying to back out of the drive."

Alystar flinched at 'dad' and sneered as he turned to leave. "Fine, I'll go find the showers… I don't want the boys to see me like this."


	7. Chapter 7

Alystar pouted on his way back to the room. He was stuck wearing a set of white slacks, that appeared to be a part of a worker's uniform, and little else. His Order coat was still dripping wet from him scrubbing at it after he'd gotten clean. It still smelled of blood, human and Akuma, and other things he didn't want to identify.

"I swear if I hear a 'Krochan' out of that little," he opened the door leading to their room, completely lost in the past.

"Alystar, what's going on?"

It took two blinks at the boy to remember a name, "Erin… Nothing, just, nothing." Alystar went into the bathroom and started the tub running. The coat could sit and soak, while he prayed it came clean.

"The hell 'nothing'. What is going on?!"

"Mind?" Alystar asked before closing the door behind him, wanting to get back into his own clothes.

"You can't hide in there forever!"

Alystar snorted, "Maybe not, but I bet I'll still out live you."

"What?" Alystar shook his head as he finished dressing, pulling a dark shirt over his head to cover the old turn-key that hung from his neck.

"Stating a fact," he answered when he opened the door. "Come on, Tac's up top waiting for us."

"Took you long enough… It's getting hard to keep it straight," Tac was braced against the helm, which shook as it tried to turn.

"Currents no doubt, there's no winds this strong," Alystar caught the wheel as she lost her grip, easily holding it steady. He could feel the pull, trying to drag the ship south and nodded his head. "How long has it been pulling?"

"Ten, twenty minutes…"

"It's more than just currents… Someone must be getting a storm or worse south of us." He shifted the helm slowly until the compass finally read N-E and pushed up the throttle a little, causing the ship to pull faster. "Let's keep away, and hopefully ahead of whatever that is… We'll head East when the currents ease." He just hoped the storm didn't head toward them and cause him to overshoot Western Europe all together.

"You've done this before?"

"Yes, though the last time I had to raise and lower sales because I drifted straight into a hurricane. I'm not one for modern technology, but this is a whole lot easier than trying to tie off 3 or 4 canvas sails alone."

"There's four of us. We'll take shifts until we get to shore…" Tac stated, leaving no room for argument.

"I've got first shift then, you're tired and the boys wouldn't be able to fight against the current," Alystar gave a half smile at Tac before nodding toward the door. "Go get some sleep. We're going to have the longest shifts."

Tac nodded, seeming to understand, "Yeah, I've got thirst shift. Erin, go rest up, you've got fourth."

"Huh? What? Hey! What makes you think you can just," they were now too far to be overheard.

"Mind taking second shift? I'm sticking around for awhile…"

"Sure," the boy just smiled and shrugged before settling in for a long night.

It felt like hours before the current finally let up and by now it was too dark to see clearly. Alystar carefully tilted the wheel until they were headed toward the East and pulled the throttle back to where it had been. He let the boat drift a little, not minding if it pulled South to even out the harsher N-E trip.

"What was it like?"

"Hmm?" Alystar sat back against a wall, eyes ever flitting to the compass when it swung.

"Getting caught in a hurricane."

Alystar chuckled, his head falling against the wall, the sudden jolt reminding him of the past incident. "Not fun. It was a rush, but it wasn't fun." He tried to think of how to word it but couldn't really come up with anything too explanatory. "We were supposed to be heading over to New York… Honestly I can't remember where we shipped off out of. It was simply a too much ship not enough hands to steady type of incident. A few died off of malnutrition or illness… There wasn't enough hands left to keep her on course, she started drifting a bit. Baka caption ordered a desertion when word came of a storm from the nest."

"Baka?"

"Idiot. I knew I had a better chance on board than in the skiff of a lifeboat they had."

"What happened?"

Alystar blinked, he hadn't realized he'd stopped. "I was proven right… I had to get the canvas tied down so the sails wouldn't tear themselves apart from the wind. I hid away among the cargo below deck and waited for the full force to hit. I got lucky. I hadn't realized how lucky I had been until I woke up on shore." Alystar got up and nudged the wheel, it had drifted a little too much for his liking. "I remember the wind, the water flooding over the ship and the splintering of wood. Something slammed through the deck and my head suddenly hurt. The only thing I can account for that is the mast falling and I got hit by debris. When I came to I was trying to stand up on the beach somewhere near Florida."

They stayed quiet for a long time after that. Alystar knew it was time for the shift to change and was rather impressed at the boy for checking the radar as well as the compass. "Uh, what's that?"

"Hmm? Oh, whale, if it disappears quick that's most likely. I don't think dolphins would show up with a ship this large.

"Uh, it's not."

"Huh?" Alystar moved to look at the radar before looking out over the dark ocean. The water was churning. "You've got to be kidding… Hold on," the ship pitched slightly as he turned to avoid the choppy water.

"What is that?"

"Watch," Alystar killed the throttle for a moment once they were closer to the violent ring. "I thought they only did this during the day."

"Did what?" Alystar pointed out as large arched fins broke the surface. Suddenly three dark heads emerged, sharp jaws gaping as fish jumped away from them.

"Orcas, feeding. They fish like humans do. Two or three get together and circle a school of fish. Then they swim up into the 'net' and eat what they can before they can swim away."

"Cool!"

"Yeah, and now they'll probably follow us for awhile. Whales and dolphins are curious creatures. Brace yourself, I've got to push the throttle back up."

After everything was settled back the way it was supposed to be, they sat back and watched the sky trying to lighten. "How long have you been an Exorcist?"

"Hmm?" Claud looked over at Alystar, he had been too lost in thought to hear the question.

"You're wings, how long have you had them?"

"I got them… Before I met Tac. Five years… Maybe, I can't remember. I had to run a lot after that."

"I'd imagine so… What happened? If you don't mind my asking."

"I was out in an old field, mom and dad were fighting and I couldn't stand the yelling. I was still little enough to get through this old fence and I would hide there when it got bad. That night it was really weird. It looked like it had snowed, but only inside the fence. The air even felt cooler. I got to the center of the field, it looked like the snow was moving. I must have made a sound because suddenly the field rose up." Claud stopped and rubbed his eyes, Alystar knew the boy had to be tired. "Moths… The snow had been a swarm of moths. They were beautiful. But then, it started to rain a white powder… then they fell to the ground. That's when I first felt that crawling… and my wings opened."

"How did your parents take it?" Alystar wished he'd kept his mouth shut just by the boy's reaction. "Not well… You don't have to say anything."

"We moved, twice, because of them… Then pops gave up, he left. Mom, she ran off too the third time it happened. Dad gone, mom… She was afraid of me. At first I thought it was for me but the second time, I knew I scared her."

"That's when you started running?"

"Yeah… Three years ago, I think it was, Tac found me. That was when I killed that demon, monster, thing. It killed a lot of people… trying to get to me."

"They always do. The more they kill the stronger they get. I've seen a level 3 crop up after an entire city had been destroyed," his stomach growled at the memory. "Maybe I'll go find food after Tac gets here… Akuma blood helps distract from the hunger but it doesn't make it go away."

"That's still really weird… those demon things. Their blood is corrosive, I've seen it destroy things. How can you **drink** that stuff?!"

"It tastes good to me…" Alystar shrugged as Tac walked through the door. "_Dimineata__._"

"Morning. Erin's still asleep. Wake him up after you guys go eat."

"Yes 'Mother'," Alystar smiled and proceeded to get kicked out of the control room by a laughing young woman.

Romanian

Dimineata: Morning


	8. Chapter 8

"Shouldn't have said Mother…" Claud smirked and shook his head.

"She didn't have to kick me so hard," Alystar rubbed his lower back, which was still sore from where Tac had planted a boot in the soft tissue. "Wonder if she's related to LenaLee…"

"Huh?"

"Nothing, a girl I knew that could kick an Elephant across a field without effort."

"An Elephant? Yer pullin' my leg," Alystar just smirked and shook his head as they found the kitchens.

After breakfast was found and eaten, they turned their attention to waking Erin up, who was buried in a pile of covers. "Give me a hand," Alystar blinked as Claud found a blanket edge and gave it a tug for emphasis. "He's hard to wake up some mornings and a notorious blanket hog…"

"Okay," finding the other corner he got enough slack to effectively tug. "One."

"Two."

"Three," Claud pulled as hard as he could (use to tumbling his 'sibling' out of bed on his own) while Alystar (even at a soft tug) caused the combined effort to launch the young boy out of bed and covers. "Shit, duck!"

"What?"

"Duck!" Claud grabbed at Alystar's shirt and pulled him onto the floor just as a black object whistled through the air.

There was a sharp thunk and a groan as the object connected with Erin's arm and woke him up, "Huh? Ow, what?"

"I can't believe you sleep with that thing!"

"You sleep with a boomerang?" Alystar laughed and picked up the downed 'rang.

"I have to; otherwise someone hits me with it!"

"I said I was sorry! I didn't know that knocking it off the table would send it straight at you!"

"…" Alystar stood there with a confused look on his face as the two boys whined at each other. "I'm missing something."

"Huh?" Both boys looked at him as if they just realized he was there. "Oh. The boomerang. No matter who throws it. If it's in the air it returns to him. Even if it means hitting him upside the head."

"Found that out when Claud decided to toss it onto the bed. Damn thing clocked me upside the head and damn near knocked me out!"

"I said I was sorry!"

"I was on the other side of the damn apartment! You should have known it would've still found me!"

Claud mumbled another apology while Erin yanked the boomerang out of Alystar's hand to storm out of the room. "Fratii putin." Alystar rolled his eyes.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. I'm going to bed." Alystar straightened the tangled cover with a snap of his wrist so that it fell on the bed, more or less where it should be. He smirked when he saw the look Claud had on his face. "My wife was something of a blanket hog too. Some mornings I'd have to help her get untangled from the bed clothes…"

"Wife?" Alystar merely nodded and huddled under the covers, trying to block out old memories.

The sun was shining brightly when Alystar was jostled by the sudden dipping in the mattress "Dragoste?"

"Sorry. I'm use to sharing a bed…" Alystar blinked and turned to see that Claud had vacated the other large bed to curl up in his own. He smiled as the boy leaned nearly over the edge to not make him uncomfortable, and chuckled sleepily at the death grip he had on the edge of the comforter.

"Erin?"

"Yeah, night," the boy was already asleep.

"Noapte," Alystar smiled and grabbed the extra pillow, hugging it to his chest to keep from cuddling up with the boy next to him. So long sleeping alone and the only sharing of a bed he had done had been with his wife. He didn't want to scare the boy if he ended up roaming toward the body heat.

----Time break----

"Come on Jaws, wake up," Alystar was suddenly on the floor, looking up at a triumphant Erin. "Good, you're up! Tac needs ya."

"Ugh… I hate mornings…"

"It's four in the afternoon."

"That just makes it worse…" Alystar grumbled and stumbled out of the room, more asleep than awake. If Tac needed him, he knew he had to get to the helm quickly.

"Uh, Al, we're running low on fuel…" Alystar groaned when he saw Tac's panicked face before rubbing his eyes against the sunlight.

"We've been sailing four days straight… We're past halfway. Of course we're going to be low on fuel… You woke me up early for this?"

"Current's pulling again… It's not giving up."

"I'll take over early," Alystar drug a chair over to the wheel and spun it so that the back was against his chest when he sat down.

"You sure?"

"Uh-huh," Alystar's head rested on his arm that was slung across the back of the chair while the other held the rebellious wheel in place. "Just gotta wake up…"

"I'll get you some coffee," Tac laughed and left to get dinner for her and maybe breakfast for Alystar.

"Thanks," Alystar smiled and took the offered cup when Tac returned. "That for me?" She shrugged and held out the sandwich she had fixed. It wasn't much but it would keep his stomach from growling for awhile.

"Still pulling?" Alystar nodded, not wanting to talk after eating half the sandwich in one bit. "Anyone ever tell you you've got the table manners of a mouse?"

"Huh?" He hummed through the other half of the sandwich.

"I'll take that as a no." Tac laughed and pulled up a chair for herself. "Wanna play?" She suddenly produced a deck of cards and Alystar nearly choked on his coffee. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Alystar laughed, "Sure… but no poker."

"Jeez, you have no luck with cards…" Four hands of what Tac called Rummy and Alystar hadn't won a one.

"At least I understand the game," true it was similar to poker; three/four of a kind, what would be called a straight flush, and he still got confused on playing on other player's downed cards but he was getting it. And there wasn't any need for bets or bluffing, so he enjoyed it.

"So, how long has it been since someone cleaned you out?"

Alystar blinked as Tac picked up half the discard pile and proceeded to play all gut three cards, before setting one back on the stack. "Cleaned out?" Some days modern American's slang confused him, today seemed to be one of them.

"No poker. How long since someone won all your cash?"

Alystar snorted as he was forced to take one off the deck, another 2… and still not the one he needed. "The first time I played…" He chuckled and kept the card; deciding to toss down a lone Ace.

"Doesn't say when," Tac grabbed up the Ace quick and dropped a Queen of the same suit.

Alystar blinked, she had used this trick before… "A long time ago," he grabbed the Queen and dropped one of the offending single cards in his hand.

"Dodging the inevitable," Tac didn't even look up as she took another card from the deck and merely set it on the discard pile without viewing it.

"Interesting outlook on things," he picked up the discarded 2 now sitting on top of the pile and laid down three cards. Four more and his hand was over. "I'm old enough to be your… many times over grandfather. Not that that would ever be a possibility."

"Did you know your accent gets really thick when you get flustered, sometimes you even speak a different language?"

"Really? No one ever told me that. But then I was straight out of my homeland, they were happy I spoke enough English to understand them…"

"Nice maneuver, but you're still going to tell me your age…"

"… In my village it was a family's job to take down names and dates of birth, marriage and death. Mine has been lost for so long… I cannot remember ever being told the exact year but around 1860… Maybe a little before then…"

"You're… 100 and 50 years old? That's not…"

"Tac, I drink Akuma blood, wouldn't you say that's impossible?" Tac stuttered, looking up at Alystar's questioning eyes before shaking her head.

"This is all so weird! Three years ago I wouldn't have ever thought there were monsters walking among humans…"

"You are lucky to be an Equipt type," Alystar smiled sadly, "Or else, like Claud or even me, you would think you were one of the monsters." Blinking, he looked at the card he had drawn, "I won?" He laid down his hand before laying the discard down.

"Congrats! And it only took you… half the night? What time is it?"

"I'd guess 10… maybe. It's hard to judge when you head East."

Tac groaned, "I have to get to bed, and where the hell is Claud? Erin was 'spose to wake him up…"

"Jeez Tac! Don't get your gloves in a bind! I was getting breakfast. Erin said you only brought up a sandwich…" Claud came through the door pushing a server cart chocked full of food. "Poor guy's probably starving," Alystar chuckled as his stomach growled at the sight of food.

"Buna noapte, Tac," Alystar smile and nodded at Tac.

"Good night."

Claud's eyes narrowed at Alystar who was smiling at the closing door. "Are you crushing on Tac?"

Alystar blinked at the question, English was not his language tonight. "Crushing on?"

"Yeah, crushing. Do you like her?"

"Yes, she is a friend," Alystar was confused by the boy's laughing…

"More than friend. Oh, I forgot, you had a wife. Maybe she reminds you of her, or a daughter?"

"No."

"To which one?"

"Both, all… My wife was a skittish woman, with no resemblance to Tac. And children… was, is an impossibility."

"Bummer, so no little Alystar's running around?"

"No," he left out that there had been hope once, they thought it was morning sickness and it only turned out to be the stomach flu. They had both been crushed. "Akuma's can't have children. We believe because of their blood, neither can I." He closed his eyes, wondering if Eliade was somewhere in the afterlife laughing at him.

"You don't wear a ring… How long has she been gone?"

"We didn't need rings…" A hand grabbed the loose chain around his neck to show the turn-key at the end. "It was nearly 1900 when I lost her."

The boat suddenly slammed to a halt, throwing Alystar into the wheel while Claud slammed into the control panel. "Damnit!" Alystar killed the throttle before looking out over the boat, seeing nothing he looked at the equally empty radar screen. "Go check on Tac and Erin, I'll check the bow…"

"Oh, ohkay," Claud stumbled, his knee sore from hitting the panels as they split up.

Romanian

Fratii putin= Little brothers

Dragoste= Love or endearment

Noapte= Night

Buna noapte= Good night


	9. Chapter 9

"Not my century…" Alystar groaned and stared down at the dune barely covered by the water, the nose of the boat was firmly nestled into it. "…" He gave a sigh of frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What the fuck happened?!" Tac screeched before she came up to the edge of the rail, Alystar was standing on the tip of the nose, and folded her arms. "Well? Are you going to answer me or am I coming out there?"

"Don't… Not safe."

"Alystar, what's wrong? I can't understand you…"

Alystar blinked at the dune again. "I spoke English," he spoke loudly. "Don't! I'm coming in."

"What?" Tac gaped at him as the other two found them.

"We ran up onto a sand dune… It's far enough below surface for the radar to miss it and still tall enough for us to hit. What's more, we're dead in the water until we get free. And when we do get free we have to be sure we aren't taking on water and somehow navigate around the damn thing."

"Okay… how do we get free?"

"We just throw her into reverse, right?" Tac and Erin's questions made him chuckle.

"We could back out, if we hadn't slammed into it at half speed… We risk tearing the hull and we won't be able to keep her moving very fast or very long depending on the damage."

"Ohkay, reverse bad… Then what?"

"SOS?"

"Last resort," Alsytar smiled when it was Tac that said that.

"'kay… Then what?"

"Gotta shovel?" Alystar smiled at Tac, who smiled back and shook her head.

"No, but I got these," she held up a gloved hand.

"Looks like I'm going overboard then… Uh… Can you handle this on your own or do I need to find a shovel to pull it away from the hull?"

"I got it Jaws, just get in the water," Tac gave him a hard shove, sending him out into the still dark water.

Alystar shivered, gasping from the inisial shock of hitting the cold water. "Be it winter or summer, the ocean remains the same. WARNING WOULD'VE BEEN NICE!" He called up to the deck as loud as he could.

"Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say!" He barely heard over the lap of the waves.

"There you are!" Claud's shimmering white form appeared behind him, causing him to jump. "Ah! Watch it!" Claud flailed and fluttered higher above the water. "If my wings get wet I won't be able to fly for a week!"

"Sorry, you startled me…" Alystar laughed and looked back up at the desk. "Tell Tac to start pulling sand away from the nose first. I'll check what I can of the underside."

"Gotcha," Claud took off, leaving Alystar shivering and moving away from the boat when the sand started shifting.

Alystar yipped when the sand reached him but gave a sigh of relief when it settled just above the water. The hull didn't look but a little scuffed and he jumped up onto the forming mound of sand to keep Tac from accidently burying him.

The sky was lightening when the ship gave a groan and shifted, finally floating free of the dune. "Tac! Back! Back out before the current pushes you back in!"

The boat started pulling away on its own and Alystar smiled, "That's a girl," he took a running leap and was just able to grip the edge of the deck with his hands. "Alright. Swing her right," he caught her eyes in the control room and signaled to swing the helm and start forward.

Once Alystar was up on the deck he could see her confused look and feel the boat pushing forward, "Not sharp enough!" He made a movement with his hands, as if he was holding the helm before throwing them in the direction they needed to go.

He could've swarn he heard 'shit' be whispered even from this distance as she looked back, probably telling the boys to hold on. The wheel was spun, Alystar lost his footing with his wet shoes. He tried to get traction as he slid across the deck but his soaked clothes didn't help, the only hint to slowing was the scraping of his coat buttons on the treated wood. "No, no, no, no!" He wasn't going back into the cold water. He rolled and dug both hands worth of nails into the deck, wincing as it splinted and cut him.

When the boat stopped the pitch and evened out, Alystar groaned and pulled his bleeding hands from the deck. Whining as he pulled the worst of the wood slivers out with his teeth and moved to the edge of the deck, watching for the end of the dune.

"Easy, now head East," Alystar got up to the central room just as they cleared the end of the dune.

"Alystar," Claud grabbed at his still bleeding hands, he just shook his head and grabbed for the wheel to help Tac keep the current from taking them back into the dune. "Alystar, your hands."

"Not important, they will heal," the wheel slid under his slick grip and he held on tighter for fear of being flung across the ship again.

Once they were finally safely around the dune, Alystar sighed and released the dented wheel. "Hopa."

"Jaws, you're bleeding everywhere," Alystar tried to smile his way out of it but the boys grabbed him by the wrists and drug him to a chair to sit in until they could bandage the wounds.

"Idiot," Erin cursed as he pulled the bandage around the dripping fingers. "How?" Alystar could only give a sheepish look as Erin pulled a wedge sized chuck of wood out of his palm.

"Must have missed it…"

"Shouldn't you be, you know, healing?"

"No Akuma, and I haven't fed in days. I used up all my reserve getting back on deck." Alystar dropped his head in defeat as the boys just shook theirs.

"Some vampire…" Erin grumbled and let go of the now mummified hand.

"I'm not a vampire," he called as the boy left to return to his interrupted sleep.

"Too bad you weren't, you would be healed by now if you were," Tac murmured and let Claud have the wheel to examine Alystar's hands. "Hurt?"

"Yes, but I've had worse," he let his hand drop back onto his leg when she released it.

Tac sighed, "You've got to take care of yourself." Alystar froze when her hand fell onto his bowed head, she shifted it until his bangs were pushed out of his face, "Lord knows no one else will."

"Then why are you caring for those boys?"

"Because… they're children. You are old enough to take care of yourself."

"Not by the way they were treating me…"

"They know that any injury can eventually be deadly."

Alystar blinked at her, "You've been on your own too long…"

"I'm alive. That's all that matters…"

"As long as that is what you want. I'm going to go get warm and dry. I'm freezing and the last thing I need is a cold…"

---

"Alystar, wake up! We've got a problem! There's a ship that's trying to force us off course."

Alystar jolted awake to see a scared looking Erin, "Ship? What?" He was drug out of sleep, as well as the room, by Erin.

"Look!" Erin pointed over the side at a large fishing boat, trying to siddle up to them, no doubt to board the 'unresponsive' cruise liner.

"Tell Tac to slow the ship, I've got to get my coat," Alystar was awake now and ran to find his Order coat.

"What are you doing?" Claud met Alytar on deck as Erin ran for the helm.

"Hoping they know the crest…" Alystar swung his coat out over the side, the black fluttering catching the attention of the hands on the other ship.

"Exorcista?" The word rustled through the neighboring ship.

"Great… Spaniards…"

"Problem?"

"I don't know but bits and pieces of the language."

"Señor Exorcista. ¿Has venido a problemas?"

"Okay, even I understand Has and problemas…"

"Laugh later… Uh… How is that worded? Estamos a salvo. ¿Cuánto tiempo a la tierra?"

"Podrás ver las luces por la noche. Se llega a la costa al amanecer."

"Translation?"

"Ver, see, luces, light, noche, dark. Llegar… por, by… Reach by. Amanecer?!" He called back to the boat.

"Salida del sol," the other called back.

"Sunrise… ¡Gracias amigo! ¡Buen viaje!"

"Para usted tambien, Señor Exorcista."

"Not bad for bits and pieces," Claud chuckled as the boat pulled away to leave them be.

"My accent is always throwing others off… I'm going back to bed. Tell Tac we'll be there by morning. Wake me when it gets dark."

"Uh, sure…"

Romanian

Hopa=Oops (yes, he said oops! Deal with it, XP)

As for the Spanish (Spain based I hope… ) Krochan translated what was most important and other than that most people know the rest of it whether they realize it or not.


	10. Chapter 10

"Alystar, your shift," Alystar blinked up at Tac's tired face. "Morning right?"

"Yeah."

"Good… Erin ran out of pills… I had to take his shift too."

"I'll see if there's any ginger ale in the galley before I take the wheel."

"Tried that, can't keep it down long enough for it to help. Claud's waiting for you, something about docking."

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Alystar asked when he caught Claud staring at the lights of shore so far away. "Lower the throttle, we just want to coast in or we'll slam into the dock without the proper hands."

"Why do I have a feeling we're going to be swimming to shore?"

"Not swimming, but that looks like Italy, we can slip in under the coast guard if we bail out on one of the lifeboats."

"We're just going to bail on this thing?"

"In short, yes. Kill the throttle; I'm going to find the anchor catches…"

"There should be a switch somewhere up here to release them."

"Don't touch anything until you've killed the throttle," Alystar grabbed the boy's arm when he reached for something.

"Oh, yeah, oops," Alystar shook his head and went over to pull back the throttle.

Alystar grumbled to himself as he rummaged around below deck, trying to get the anchors to drop. The switches on the main controls only prepped the process and he knew nothing of technology to figure out the next step. What he did know was how to manually deploy them, he just had to find the hooks that weren't allowing the chairs to feed out.

He jumped when he finally got the anchor to drop, the loud rattling threatening to deafen him. "One down…" Well, at least he knew where to look now.

"Erin and Tac are both waiting in the boat, Erin's out cold."

"Good… seasickness gets worse on smaller boats."

"Need any help?" Tac asked as Alystar set the boat to start over the side.

"Shouldn't, it's all motorized. Love modern times," Alystar smirked as he looked over the lowering switches, all it should take is a flip of a switch and he could hop in the boat to ride down with them.

---

"All ashore," Alystar smiled, they had made it to dock just before the sun could give them away.

"Thank God!" Erin was out of the boat, trying to keep what little contents left in his stomach where it was.

"Mind you."

"Woe," Erin suddenly toppled after setting foot on steady land.

"Step… That's why sailors always seemed drunk…"

"Yeash, no wonder, you gotta be drunk to stay upright…" Claud was a little better, though he kept swaying to try to keep balanced even when the ground didn't.

"Tac?" The young woman was sound asleep; she had been soon after they had started the motor.

"I'll carry her, if you boys think you can get the bags."

"Uh… yeah… but if you hear a crash, you might wanna stop and wait…" Erin was currently taking the luggage Alystar was handing over the side. The boy swayed with the extra weight and slammed but first onto the ground with the bag on top of him, "Oof…"

""Alright, Claud, can you get these two?"

"Sure," Claud grabbled them but quickly set them on the ground for fear of an incident like Erin's.

"Here comes the fun part," Alystar carefully picked up the sleeping young woman; she shifted toward him as if sensing any other would send her falling.

"Wait, if we're bumbling around like a couple of new born kittens…"

Alystar was off the boat and onto land before the boys' fear for Tac's safety could be vocalized. "Ugh," he closed his eyes, feeling himself try to sway. It quickly stopped as his body 'reset' itself for the stillness of dry land and he smiled before continuing on. "You boys coming? The cabs should be running."

"Huh?" The boys looked at each other before, "Hey! Wait up!"

---

"Siame in Italia, sí?" The cab driver had been parked, sipping coffee, when the man suddenly appeared, holding the young woman.

"Sí, Italia," was all he could say as two boys suddenly followed after, both rolling heavy looking luggage behind them.

"L'hotel più vicino, dove?"

"Sulla strada. Tre blocchi, a sinistra."

"Vi occupereste di un prezzo iniziale?"

"Sicuro." The driver flicked the unlock and the trunk catch, the boys disappeared behind the vehicle before he could offer assistance.

"Shotgun!" Erin cried and hopped into the front seat as Claud rolled his eyes.

"American?"

"Yes," Alystar answered as he carefully got in, Tac sitting in his lap due to lack of room.

"I thought your Italiano was odd."

"Haven't spoken it in forever…"

"You know English, good. Where are we going?"

"Hotel, Erin, I asked him to take us there."

"Oh, okay."

"We'll rest before we continue on. Where can I find a train station?"

"Train" Next town has the main junction but our station is a few miles east of here. We only get four passenger trains a day, just warning."

"Thank you for the warning sir," their stop was up and the boys quickly jumped out to retrieve the bags as Alystar carefully got Tac out. "Here."

"No, I could never take for suck a short ride. Keep it Signore Esorcista, I pray you good luck." The trunk snapped shut and the cab was off before the boys could even get the bags to the curb.

---

"Esorcista?" An elderly housekeeper came up the them once they entered the building. "Sono spiacente. Abbiamo soltanto una stanza disponibile. Ci è un'università americana che bording con noi."

"She said American right?"

"Yes, I did. There is a school trip with us right now. Only one room left open. May hap you would like to go to another for rest?"

"We will be fine, they should be leaving for the day soon anyway, yes?" The woman nodded at Alystar's question.

"Oh, dear, no they may not… The instructors warned of a free time, the weekend is theirs to do with as they please…"

No worries, we will not be disturbed. As long as the room has a couple of big beds that is more than enough."

"Why, yes it does… Alright, if you insist…" The woman looked nervous, though it could have been caused by Alystar's smile.

"Bed," Erin and Claud were already jumping into the one closest to the window, scrabbling to get shoes off and under the covers.

Alystar chuckled softly and layed Tac in the empty one, carefully pulling the cover across her. "Hey… Aren't you going to sleep?"

"Yes," he answered as he moved the bags away and secured the door. "A gentleman never shares a bed with a lady unless they ate wed." He pulled one of the chairs out from a small table to recline back in it until he leaned against the wall. His legs propped up on the table for support.

"Old fashion… but Tac will appreciate it."

"Not to mention, she won't tear you limb from limb…" Claud yawned even as Alystar gulped.

"Yes, well, goodnight," he reached back to close out the dawn with the heavy window curtain.

---

Alystar was startled out of sleep by a blast of loud noise. He landed on the floor before he even realized he had jolted awake. "Ceea ce in numele lui Dumnezeu se intampla?!"

"Signore Esorcista, I warned you," Alystar was out the door, heading toward the noise, the housekeeper trying to calm him down.

"It is not your fault," he smiled, as calmly as he could at the following woman, she gasped and stopped following before he reached the room responsible.

Taking as calming a breath as he could, Alystar pounded on the door to be heard over the music. The music lessened just enough to hear the man opening the door laugh, "Whoa!" He started when he looked up at the very annoyed stranger. "Little later of Lemuria, don't you think?"

"Considering that your music is loud enough to wake the dead…"

"Oh, speaks English!"

"At the moment, barely. Kindly keep the racket down! The children and I just got to sleep."

"Jeez, sorry dude, we'll keep it down."

"Thank you," Alystar growled before leaving to go back to bed. "Damn brats…" He grumbled as he righted his chair, taking no notice of the three half awake youths watching when he sat back to fall back to sleep.

---

"Signore Esorcista," there was a soft knocking at the door around mid-afternoon.

"Hmm?" Alystar opened the door, still a little groggy from having to sleep in a hard chair all day but otherwise coherent. "Yes?"

"I wanted to thank you for silencing that ruckus earlier… You did not hurt them, did you?"

"Hurt?" He rubbed his eyes, now he was awake. "Of course not. I assure you Madame; though I may look the part, I am not a violent man. They just needed a reminder that they weren't the only ones here is all. Have you seen my companions?" Alystar just now realized he was the only one in the room.

"Sí, they are downstairs, giving the cook fits," she smiled kindly so he knew it wasn't anything to worry about.

"Thank you, I will be down shortly," she nodded at him before going about her routine.

Romainian

Ceea ce in numele lui Dumnezeu se intampla= What in God's name is going on

As for the rest. Ugh… Krochan translates the important for the kids so do I gotta? LOL

As for Lemuria. It's similar to a Roman Day of the Dead


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Little bit of a time break, but not much.

"Finally…" Alystar sighed as he sat back in his seat as the train departed the station.

"Almost there?" Claud asked as he watched out the window at the passing scenery.

"A few hours away… Then we'll have a little walk." Alystar chuckled, "Oh… and we're going to have a bumpy ride when we leave the train."

"Huh? Why?"

"There's no stop where we're getting off."

"Uh… What?!"

"You'll see when we get there," Alystar chuckled and sat back to get comfortable.

"Exorcist?" Alystar blinked down at the young child that looked up at him with questioning eyes.

"Yes. How do you know about Exorcists?"

"Great-Grandmother told me stories of them. She said they were people on the side of God that protected us from the monsters. Gran-Nana would have loved to see you…"

Alystar gave an understanding smile, "Well, you will have a great story to tell her when you meet again."

"Yeah," the little girl smiled, showing missing front teeth.

---

The change in scenery caught Alystar's attention, "Tac, Erin, Claud, this is our stop. Grab you stuff or go without." He already had his bag and was heading for the back of the train.

"This cannot end well…"

"Got everything?" Alystar smirked before opening the door. "Here we go. Claud, fly ahead, we'll be right behind you."

"Oh-kay," Claud jumped away from the train, the turbulence caused him to tumble when his wings opened.

"Our turn," Alystar looped his arms around Tac and Erin and followed after.

"You guys alright?" Claud asked once he caught up with the three.

"Yeah, but I think Jaws is stuck…" Erin said as he pulled a stray branch from his hair.

"They always kept this area somewhat tame! How do they expect Exorcists to get on and off the train?!"

"Hold still, I'm trying," Tac was glad for her gloves as she grabbed at the thorn filled bush Alystar had the misfortune to roll into. "You have no luck what-so-ever…" She muttered as she pulled a large branch of thorns away from the scraped up man. "Can you get out?"

"I think so..." There was still limbs clinging to his clothes and legs but he was able to free himself with minimal damage. "Thanks."

"No problem. So… how far are we?"

"Not far. It's getting dark, we should get moving before anything comes looking for the cause of the noise."

---

"Are those bats?" Erin blinked at the group of fluttering creatures that seemed to be following them.

"Golems," Alystar smiled, imagining those within the Order watching their approach. He reached into his pocket and held up his 'dormant' one, it flicked awake and soon bolted for the group following them.

"Okay, back off!" Erin flung his hands up when they started to crowd closer.

Alystar just chuckled and held up the shoulder of his coat, showing the Rose Cross to one of the scanning golems. They all flitted away to start leading them rather than watching. "None of you are claustrophobic I hope…"

"Uh… Why?" Erin blinked at the dark opening the golems had led them to. "Ugh…"

"Seems they have the canal clear. Good because I hate climbing…"

"More water…" Erin whined through the small boat trip to the entrance into the Order.

Alystar smiled softly when they finally made it up in to the main part of the building. "Finally home…"

"Relax, take a break! All this worrying is giving you gray hair!"

"That's my natural highlights! Stop messing up my hair Bookman!"

Alystar blinked, "Bookman?" Both figures jumped when he walked into the room the voices had originated from. "I was unaware there were women Bookmen…"

"Sexism strikes everywhere…" A strawberry blonde haired young woman gave a cockeyed sarcastic smile, Alystar blinked at the sudden similarities.

"Lavi…?"

"Lavi? Now there's a Bookman I haven't heard of for a long time. Wait, how do you know my great-great-great-grandfather?"

Alystar gave a sad smile. "Oh! I knew I knew you from somewhere!" The other, a young man he hadn't gotten a good look at, dove behind a nearby desk as books and papers flew everywhere. ""You wouldn't happen to be related to Krory?" Alystar blinked when he finally got a good look at the young man. He had shaggy black hair with pure white streaks throughout. The boyish man cocked his head at Alystar's staring.

"I'm sorry," Alystar blinked and shook his head before looking down at the old photograph the other held. It was a 'family' portrait that had them all lined up. His eyes started to water, he could remember that day…

"What are you on 9/10?" Bookman drug him out of his memories to laugh.

"What?"

"Records say Krory's name was a family thing. What number are you?"

"3rd."

"Oh, when did the numbers restart?"

"I'm the same man as in the photo," Alystar took the old frame from the young man to look it over. "Kanda was so mad that day. Allen and Lavi interrupted his meditation for this. LenaLee had to protect them. Then they had to retake the picture twice because Allen had laughed at something Lavi said, and Tim tried to eat my golem… It took an hour before we could even get everyone to settle down enough to stay still to take this."

"Wait… You really are Krochan? That… But… There's no way you could still be alive! It's not possible!"

"You have Lavi's records of me, I know how you Bookman are… I didn't know the extent of my difference until long after I had left the Order but we did know it was going to be an extreme."

"Krochan?" Erin asked.

"Alystar groaned, "It's the nickname her grandfather gave me long ago."

"Krochan… I like Jaws better."

"You would." Alystar rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I would gladly explain everything I know but I am tired and hungry. Could we discuss this after a hot meal?"

"Sure."

"Look out!"

"Watch it!"

"Incoming!"

"What is going on?" People were rushing through, yelling warnings as furniture shifted.

"Komurin!"

"What? I thought we dismantled all of them?!"

"We missed one!"

The old robot rose up, allowing them to see the cobweb and dust covered machine. "Kids, hide," Alystar grabbed the three clueless young Exorcists and drug them out of the machine's scanning range.

"What is that thing?!"

"A mad scientist's tinkering on steroids…" Alystar risked a look back into the room. The young man was stuck within the machine's sight.

"Allen Walker," Alystar blinked as arms shot out to grab at the man.

"No," he blinked as Innocent coated nails dug into the floor. "Wrong Walker!"

Alystar rushed at the machine while it was distracted by the other. "Let him go!" He struck at the grabbing arms, the metal easily ripped to free the young man.

"Thanks…"

"No problem."

"Arystar Krory…" Alystar froze, he looked up with the same look a deer would have when staring down an oncoming car when more arms shot from the machine.

He tried to jump away, his legs were caught and he panicked. "Little help?!"

"We got ya," Alystar turned to see Erin's boomerang fly.

"I hope you don't have any sentimental ties to this thing." Once the restraints were cut Tac reached out and grabbed the machine with her activated gloves.

"Compact the bitch," Erin smirked once the rang returned.

There was a horrid crunching noise, when it was over Tac dropped what appeared to be a gigantic crushed can. "There, no more problems…"

"Thanks Tac. Sorry about the Komurin… uh."

"Ugh… Komui… Walker."

Alystar blinked then started laughing, "Komui Walker…"

"Yeah," Komui gave an unsure smile that was worthy of Allen's praise.

"You're a parasite type, aren't you?"

"Kind of, I mean how deadly could these be?" Komui laughed and made a pawing gesture with white nails.

Alystar chuckled, "You'd be surprised…"

"You mentioned food," Claud said. "I'm starved!"

"You would be," Erin laughed.

"Come on then, let's get food."

Alystar was happily following Komui and Bookman, he would sometimes catch a familiar face among the Finders or other scientists but no other Exorcists were seen. "Are we the first to answer the call?"

"Yes… I fear you may be the only ones coming too. Becca and I are the only Exorcists living at the Order, we aren't even sure I there are anymore out there."

"See those three?" Alystar smiled at his traveling companions putting in orders for food the poor cook had probably never heard of. "They found me. They were already bound together because of their difference; I'm sure there are more out there that have done the same."

Author's corner

Giggles, I'm sorry about the Komui Walker thing, I plotted the Komurin thing from the moment this fic started. A friend agreed it would be funny to see so I did it XD Just consider it revenge for all the experiments. LOL It might take awhile for me to update this story cuz Krochan is just being too emo for his own damn good (you'll understand when I finally update the story) and I even tried getting him on antidepressants, no use. He's in all out emo vamp mode… Oh well, I'll drag him outa it soon, if not Erin or Claud will. Till then I hope you enjoy!


	12. Chapter 12

"Hebraska?" Alystar looked over the rail of the still somehow operating lift into the pit.

"Count?" He smiled brightly as the old guardian rose up into his view. "It has been so long. It is good to see a familiar face."

Alystar chuckled as the 'masked' Exorcist looked down at him. "Yes, it is. How has everyone gotten along since I've been away?"

Hebraska sighed, a soft smile playing on her lips, "They went down fighting, as we always knew they would. Mana was looked after once they were gone… Komui, young Walker that is, is one of his descendents. LenaLee would have been sad that there have been no girls along the line. Lavi on the other hand, Rebecca takes so much after him you would swear he was reborn."

Alystar looked away, "Let's hope not, we don't need a female Lavi…"

Habraska laughed. "It truly is good to see you again."

"I know, it's good to see you too," Alystar held his arm out to grab one of Hebraska's searching ones. "You're not alone, and neither am I."

"No we're not." She leaned down to wrap more arms around the smaller form. "Welcome home."

Alystar leaned against her. The words causing too many memories to surface; all he could do was cry…

---

"Hey, anyone seen Jaws?"

"Great flick," the strawberry blonde, Becca chuckled.

"Meant Alystar not the movie…" Erin said slightly annoyed.

"He's around here somewhere. Find the Count and tell him his friends are looking for him," Becca's golem flickered before shooting down the corridors to find its target.

---

Twittering. Once again the sound was heard. Suddenly a loud screeching was heard and Alystar jolted and grabbed the screaming golem, "What?!"

The golem tried to replay the command but the voice was garbled. Alystar realized why when the faceplate showed cracks. "Ugh," he whined when the creature disintegrated in his grip. "I forgot how fragile these things are…"

Hebraska laughed, "How many of those have you broken over the years?"

"I don't care to think about it…" Alystar looked up at her; he had fallen asleep in her arms. "I'm sorry, you didn't have to hold me all night."

"It's alright Count; you may need to know what Bookman wanted."

---

"What did you need?" The young Bookman jumped when Alystar came up behind her.

"Jeez, don't do that!"

"Sorry about your golem," Alystar held up a hand full of gravel pieces.

"What did you do?!" Becca gaped before grabbing the remnants of her golem.

"What was it you needed?" Alystar rubbed his eyes as she fawned over the damaged golem.

"Your friends were looking for you…"

---

"I don't think Rebecca will be talking to me for awhile…"

"You broke her golem didn't you?" Komui smiled as Alytar sat down in front of the new Exorcists.

"How'd you guess?"

"You have a reputation of going through a lot of those."

"It's not my fault I smack them across the room when they wake me up… Whose idea was it to make the damn things screech so loud?"

"Probably the first Komui… Don't feel bad, some days mine had claw marks on it."

Alystar started laughing. "How is old Tim doing?"

"So you know Timcampy?"

"Well enough to know if he had claw marks, you had no ear afterwords," Alystar laughed loudly at the grumbling sound Komui was making. "So, how are you taking to the Order?" He asked his preoccupied companions.

"Easy to get lost," Tac said.

"Rooms are too small," Erin shuttered.

"Everyone keeps watching us like we're one of the wonders of the universe…" Claud grumbled into his food.

"They are going to. Komui and Becca are the only Exorcists they've ever seen. They'll get use to you being around. "Alystar smiled at the boy.

"Still feel like an animal at the zoo…"

Alystar laughed. "Do you?" He smiled, showing more teeth than anyone should be able to. "You can have my room if you're claustrophobic; it's larger than the others. I need to move some things first… and clean," he paled when he realized how long room. "Ugh… The dust bunnies are going to be the size of Danes!"

"No worries, Jaws, you'll win," Erin patted the pouting man on the shoulder. "Hell, I'll help… After all, it's the least I can do with you letting me have your room."

"Really? Thanks!"

---

Alystar took out the old key, surprised they hadn't upgraded his lock like they had the others. He heard Erin gasp when the door opened to reveal the dust covered, untouched room. Not a thing had been moved since the day he had locked it and walked away from the Order.

"Uh," Erin seemed to want to go in to look around but didn't want to disturb the glimpse he was getting into the past. "Wow."

Alystar chuckled and stepped in, stirring miniature dust devils to life, "Come in. Just mind the clock." He stepped up to look at the dust covered Grandfather clock and sighed, "A hundred years… I'm glad I left you where you would be safe," his fingers brushed the face, the only form of memorial he had for his wife. "I suppose I'll move you first. Golem… Where are you?" The skittish little creature was flittering around the open door. "Allen… Ugh, Komui. Is my old room vacant?"

"Last time I checked it was. The Finders usually stear clear of the old rooms…" Komui's response sounded from the shy golem…

"Thank you, I'll be moving in then."

"If you need any help, Count, just call."

"I will," Alystar smiled and carefully lifted the old clock to relocate it. "The pictures, could you get a few and follow me?"

"Sure Jaws, lead the way," Erin carefully gathered the dust covered frames off an old dresser before leaving the room.

---

"Is it clear to move the bed in?" Tac poked her head in and giggled at the two dust covered cleaners.

"Give us a minute, I have to move the old one and it'll probably fall apart…"

"Okay," Tac smiled before whispering something to Claud. He laughed and walked into the room.

"Hey, you've got a spider in your hair."

"Huh?! WHERE?!" Erin started spazzing out.

"Not you, Jaws."

"Ugh," Alystar batted blindly at his hair. "Can you get it?" He leaned down so the boy could reach.

"I expected you to be afraid of spiders…" Claud unwound the little critter's legs from the hair before holding up the freed creature.

"They are not the most cuddly of God's creatures but I'm grown up around scarier things."

"Kill it!" Erin cried. Alystar rolled his eyes as Claud took the spider out of the room.

"Clear the door," he felt the springs shift, several rattling around loose within the old mattress as he turned it on its side to carry it.

---

Alystar ran into Komui on his way to his room after finally getting everyone settled in for the night. "Hey Count, wanted to warn you. We've got a new coat started for you, it should be done by morning."

"You don't have to do that…"

"It'll be on your door when it gets done."

"Thank you," Komui was already on his way.

Author's corner

-pout- I sense an end to this story soon… But I know there's a chapter if not two left so there is more to read. That I am aware of there is NO SEQUEL! Least I hope there isn't … No 2100 version thank you! LOL There could possibly be little side things for after this story ends but I doubt it… Krochan wants to kick back and rest after me putting him through hell. What's an author to do… -grabs vodka- KROOOOOCHAN! Have a drink with me! –giggle-

Krory pales and tries to hide in his room.


	13. Chapter 13

Alystar started lazily after a full night of recuperative sleep. "Mmm, I wonder what's for breakfast…" After changing for the day he reached for the door, nearly missing the coat hanging on it. He blinked at the slightly new design before frowning and holding it up. Gold lined the edges. His eyes narrowed. "Maybe they changed the rank colors," he held it up again before heading out to find an answer.

"Komui," he found the young Walker dealing with paperwork in the science department.

"Yes Count?" The man was still head down concentrating on his work.

"I think there's been some kind of mistake," Alystar laid the coat on the desk Komui was sitting at.

"Hmm? Oh. No mistake, General Krory."

"Buh… I can't be a General! I'm not qualified!"

"How not?" Komui gave up on the paperwork. "You've fount as an Exorcist of the Black Order for a very long time. You are even a veteran of the last war… You obviously have full synchro with you Innocence otherwise there would be no logical reason for you standing in front of me. You've survived for 150 years! You're as qualified as any of them. Besides, we have no Generals currently…"

Alystar dropped his head, "Alright… for now. I'll keep the title until better candidates come along," he shook his head and left with his General's coat in hand.

"Hey Jaws, what do you think?" Erin laughed and turned to show his new coat.

"Nice," Alystar smiled.

"I won't get mine until they figure out how to deal with my wings…"

"Mine's not bad," Tac came up in a short, jacket styled one.

"Hmm… I think I have an idea for yours," Alystar looked at Claud before heading away.

"Hey wait up! What kind of idea?"

---

Alystar sat back and watched as Tac showed the two youngest Exorcists hand to hand. He knew it would be a very good resource if it came down to fists with Erin, he would have to make sure the boy thought to use his boomerang as a club in that case. Claud on the other hand…

"Ah… Aaaaah…. Aaaaaaaah," Claud tried to cover his face.

"Hit the deck!" Erin and Tac both dove out of the way as Claud finally sneezed.

Alystar panicked as the three was lost in a cloud of white powder. "Everyone alright?!" He didn't want to get lost in the haze so he stayed put.

"Yeah," came from the cloud.

"Jeez Claud!" There was coughing and sneezing as the powder settled. Claud's thin moth wings were showing and the boy looked mortified.

"I'm sorry you guys! I didn't mean to! The ground's dusty…"

"Not to self… When Akuma attacks, use feather."

Alystar started laughing at Rebecca's joke and couldn't stop. "Don't worry Claud, you'll learn to control it."

"When pigs fly…" Claud grumbled and shook off the powder covering his clothes after deactivating his Innocence.

"Hey Bookman… Do they still have," Alystar whispered into Rebecca's ear. She laughed and rushed off to find what he had asked for.

"What was that all about?" Claud asked when he sat down for a rest.

"Becca's just getting me a drink."

"What? Mai Tai, at this hour?"

Alystar laughed, "'fraid not, I'm a lightweight. Messes with my blood too much to tolerate more than a few glasses."

"Here you go! Though I think it's passed its expiration date…" Alystar had a dust covered glass jar tossed into his lap as Rebecca flopped back down. "When you get food poisoning, don't whine to me!"

Alystar sniffed at the preserved blood, he was surprised that it smelled richer than the fresh. He caught Rebecca staring at him, he smiled. "Cheers." After downing the contents he handed the jar back and got up, "Claud, come on. You're against me."

"Then why did you need the…?" The young Bookman seemed confused.

"You'll see," Alystar grinned.

---

"Yo Krory," Rebecca called over the side of the cliff, the two sparing nothing but black and white blurs striking one another. "I said, HEY PARAKETE HEAD!!"

The black suddenly shot up at her, "WHAT!?!" Alystar screamed back, his blood wings keeping him aloft at the edge of the plateau.

"Lunchtime, come on."

"Lunchtime?!" His personality flipped the moment his Innocence deactivated and he ended up clawing at the crumbling rock when his wings melted away. "AH!" Rebbeca only laughed and walked away as he crawled back up. "Claud! Lunch," he called happily toward the confused boy some distance away before he strolled after the giggling Bookman.

---

Alystar wondered the halls. He was starting to get lonely staying at the Order, even with all the Finders and the others… Old memories kept surfacing wherever he went and it was becoming depressing.

Claud was getting better at controlling his Innocence through their sparing matches, though there were still a few incidences. The last one having been a sneezing fit that had taken place at mealtime. Erin had learned to hit multiple targets; he's up to four, before the boomerang has to return. Tac was learning to manifest hers at a distance, sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't. He doubted she would have the concentration to be able to use the ability in battle for several years. But then, half of his abilities were instinctual responses to battle so perhaps she would surprise him.

"Parakeet head, Komui wants to talk to you," Rebecca waved him down before disappearing around a corner.

"Why couldn't she call me Krochan like everyone else…?" Alystar grumbled and stalked after.

"Hey Count," Komui smiled and set the file down on the table. "I have two missions and I need to borrow Claud, Erin, and Tac."

"You're not splitting them up… It's not safe."

"Well I was going to have Tac be on one and you on the other. And you two could choose one of the boys."

"They've never seen any real fighting. I've only ever witnessed them going against one, never many. I doubt they've even gone against more than three… If my experience is any account of the numbers of Akuma left. If the Earl has started making more they will be out numbered and killed without question. I won't let them be separated."

Young Komui blinked before a knowing smile showed. "If that is what you wish, General," Alystar had taken the file held out to him and was out the door before he even realized what the other had called him.

He shook his head and continued on. "We have a mission."

"Really?" Erin seemed excited while Claud only looked up worried. Alystar nodded and Erin was off like a shot to prepare for traveling.

"Nervous?" Alystar patted Claud's shoulder.

"Yeah, what if we mess up?"

"…" Alystar was caught between telling the truth and making the boy feel better, "Everyone messes up eventually, just try not to mess up too bad."

---

It was a trap… That was the only explanation for this many Akuma to be in one place when there were so few scattered across the world.

Alystar fought against instinct, both the need to feed and to protect, as he stood by and watched the three fighting. They had to know that the only ones they could depend on were themselves and each other. They had to know their limits and push themselves past them.

His palms were sill bleeding, blood needles forming in his hand as he thanked the ancient Bookman for teaching him his technique. The Akumas were getting to be too much for the children and this was all the assistance he would allow himself to offer. Ten needles struck various Akuma, not a one even knew their death clock had started ticking…

One of the Akumas had been hit away from the attacking mob, it landed before looking up at Alystar. "A General? Hey guys! A General!"

Alystar was startled when the Akuma was pointing at him like an over enthusiastic fan but smiled once the rest saw him and started to move. "My turn to have fun?" His form was lost in the mass of Akuma.

---

Alystar patted his distended stomach and let out a burp. He blushed and covered his mouth, "Excuse me."

"God… Bloated leech!" Tac could just laugh at the man sitting back in the grass once the fight was over.

"Not far from the truth right now unfortunately, can you help me up?" Alsytar smiled meekly and held out his hands.

"Hope you get indigestion…" Erin grumbled as he touched at his swollen cheek.

"Thanks," Tac smiled once Alystar was on his feet.

"You're welcome," he smiled back; she had understood his reason for not helping…

"Cheer up Erin; at least we got the Innocence," Claud said as he held up the old harvesting sickle for everyone to see.

"Yay," Erin said sarcasticly.

Alystar shook his head, "Come one, I'm tired. Let's rest before we move on to the net one."

"Next one?" Erin groaned. Alystar just chuckled and patted his shoulder.

Author's corner:

... Hi? -hides behind Krochan- Hey! They needed Generals and I even asked a non-Krochan fan (yes they exist) and when she asked why and I mentioned the age thing she gave the thumbs up so it happened! As for the 'cold heartless Krochan' moment, that was my doing. Hey he's been around a long time! And it's best they know what their limit is while there is someone there to save their asses! LOL. Oh and the parakeet head thing... That's been in my head since I started this fic! I just figured it would be Erin, but Noooooo... Little shit had to say Jaws instead. Oh well! Becca's 'grandpa' Lavi would be rolling with laughter and you all know it! Hope you like. It's going to be awhile till next chapter cuz I have no clue where to start it.


	14. Chapter 14

Alystar leaned back against the rail of the old lift, sighing and rubbing his eyes. It had been two months since he had brought the three young Exorcists to the Order and they were showing signs of accomplishing missions without his help. "What's wrong Count?"

"I feel… alone," he rested a hand on the limb touching his shoulder.

"Alone? There are many here…"

"Yes. Though there are people here I feel as if I am walking around a graveyard… and they're all just visitors living among old graves."

Hebraska sighed, "You will come and visit again, won't you?"

"Of course," Alrystar smiled up at the great guardian.

Alystar disappeared the next day. It took a week of searching before Komui shook his head and called it off. Not even the fidgety golem would give a clue as to where the old Count had headed.

Komui would smile when Finder's would bring word of sightings of a man with a gold Exorcist's coat, or when the young Exorcists were dispatched only to find the Akuma reported destroyed and the Innocence already gone. He laughed and rested his cheek against his white nails, "You're getting to be as bad as General Cross, Count…"

---

Alystar sat back and tried to distract himself with what looked like an old shoe string that he'd found in his pocket. A young girl was watching him as he wove his fingers through it. A tea cup was shown when he dropped the right fingers, she smiled at it. "Do you know any?"

"Yeah, I know the Witch's broom," she took the string and looped it around to show him.

"Nice, do you know how to do the ladder?"

She frowned and handed back the string. Arystar smiled softly as he went through the motions, he frowned when the string kept getting caught on the little black and gold band that rested on his pinky, barely able to fit passed the first joint. "Here," she giggled and helped him untangle his hand.

"Thank you," he felt the ring pulse when her fingers touched it. "Would you like to see it?" He asked when he saw her trying to examine it.

"Could I?" He nodded and took off the undersized band to let her hold it. "It's pretty," he knew she was referring to the intricate design, one very few could even see it was so small.

"I'll make you a deal. If it fits you can keep it. But if it doesn't, you have to give it back."

She looked suspitious of the terms but she slid the ring onto each finger. She started to become worried when it didn't fit. She smiled when it slid onto her thumb, perfect. "It fits!" She said excitedly but the man was already gone when she looked up to smile at him.

"One down, four to go," Alystar as he trudged on with his ever weightening case. He really hoped no one had to search his bag, he would be hard pressed to explain why he was carrying a tomahawk and a gun along with what looked to be musical instruments…

Author's corner:

Alright this is the end of the story, its more of an epilogue than anything so... -runs for it before the plotbunnies attack with a sequel-

Hope you enjoyed! I don't have a beta so if you want to holler!


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